Key-bottom for pianos, organs, &amp;c.



PATENTED JUNE 23, 1908.

P. DUFFY. KEY BOTTOM FOR PIANOS, ORGANS, &o..

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1907.

Inventor: a/f vh test: WAC

PETER DUFFY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

KEY-BOTTOM FOR PIANOS, ORGANS, &c..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1908.

Application filed November 11, 1907. Serial No. 401,751.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER DUFFY, acitizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Bottoms for Pianos, Organs, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object the construction of a key bottom for the sup ort of the keyboard in a piano -or organ, or tffe like, which shall insure the keys being kept in exact level and in permanently correct adjust. ment with the cooperatin action parts of the instrument, and which key bottom shall be of simple and more economical construction than prior devices.

In the accompanyin drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of my key ottom Fig. 2 an end View taken at line a of Fig. 1; and .Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are end views of various modifications of the reinforcing elements. I Fig. 1 is drawn to a scale ap roximately in. to 1 in., Fig. 2 quarter sca e, and Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 half scale.

My improved key bottom is a composite structure of wood and metal, the latter preferablyiron or steel because of strength and cheapness.

The reinforcing metal consists of bars,

' rails or strips as 1, laid longitudinally ofthe structure to give the rigidity in that direction, and the wood is disposed between said metal parts to com lete a light structure to which the keyboar and other parts may be readily connected by ordinary wood screws or glue.

' The wooden ortion 2 intermediate the metal strips, pre erably has the grain thereof running transversely of the structure, i. e., from onelon itudinal metal bar to another, thus prevent ng chan e of fit between the wood and the metal rails, and securing a "ermanent level from front to rear of the ey bottom without the use of metal or extra stiffening means in that direction, this form being the sim lest, although the wood may be framed up ike a door, of rails and stiles with filled in panels, or other forms of cabinet working. may be employed, and with one or two of my reinforcers, subject to claims herein. It is referable to have the transverse wood 0 several narrow pieces with spaces or expansion joints between them to prevent lengthwise crowding from swelling.

n some cases it may only be desired to stiffen one edge of the key bottom in which casemy I manner of utilizin the metal is also valuable although I genera ly employ both front and rear stiffening. I

The metal rails may be plain strips as 3 of Fig. 5 or L shape as 4 of Fig. 6, but a channeled or recessed form, as 1 of Figs. 1 to 4'secures. increased rigidity and a very secure assemblage of the structure, the recessed side of the metal rail being towards the middle part of the key bottom, with the main bed of wood neatly fitting into such recess, such wood being either of the same thickness as the vertical dimension of said recess, as Fig. 4, or preferably ton ued to fit planed level after assembling to finish a little thicker than the full height of said rail, as in Figs. 1 and 2. When a plain metal strip is used it is preferable to recess the wood to receive it securely, as in Fig. 5. To insure permanent snugness of joints it is desirable to add screws as 5, passing through the metal rail into the main bed of wood, and binding them together.

Where the key bottom is to have its front edge completed with the polished wood, rail molding 6 of the instrument,or where either or both edges of the key bottom require a wooden edge for appearance, ease of attachment thereto, or other purpose,I place a rail .of wood outside .of the reinforcing metal,

rain longitudinal of the key' having its bottom, an referab y grooved to receive land-engage t emetal, as .in Fig.2, and

usually have screws'as 5 passing from said wooden'rail through the metal and into the main wood bed, clamping'all 'firmly together;

To this outer wooden member 7 any finishin molding 6 orfotherpart maybe readily glue or screwed. y

With my double metal rail and screwclamped structure it is possible to produce a perfect key -bottom using only short and medium width pieces of wood and the two inexpensive metal rails, securing great economy with the highest grade results. What I claim as my invention is:

1. A composite key bottom having a metal reinforcer disposed longitudinallyof and approximately at the edge of saidv key bottom, and in the horizontal lane thereof, and-a main bed of wood attac ed therewithconsisting of a plurality of ieces arranged in a row longitudnally of t e structure and with intervening expansion divisions, the

bottom, and in the horizontal grain of said Wood lying transversely to said reinforcer. I

2. A composite key bottom having a metal reinforcer disposed longitudinally of and approximately at the edge of said key bottom, and in the horizontal plane thereof, and a'main bed of wood attached therewith, the grain of said wood lying transversely to said reinforcer, an outer wooden rail disposed on the outer edge of said reinforcer, and binding-means extending from said outer wooden rail through said reinforcer into the wooden main bed.

3. A composite key bottom having a metal reinforcer disposed longitudinally of and approximately at the edge of said key lane thereof, and a main bed of wood attac ed therewith consistin of a plurality of pieces arranged in a row dongitudinally of the structure and with intervening expansion divisions, the grain of said wood lying transversely to said reinforcer, an outer wooden rail disposed on the outer edge of said reinforeer, and binding-means extending from said outer wooden rail through said reinforcer into the wooden main bed.

4. A composite keybottom having a metal reinforcer disposed longitudinally of and approximately at the edge of said key bottom, and in the horizontal plane thereof, and a main bed of wood attached therewith, an outer wooden rail disposedon the outer edge of said reinforcer, and a binding-means extending from said outer Wooden rail through said reinforcer into' the wooden main bed.

5. A composite key bottom having a wooden main bed, a metal reinforcer extending longitudinally thereof, in the horizontal plane with, and approximately at the edge thereof, a wooden rail disposed on the outer earner;

edge of said reinforcer, and a finishing member or molding attached to the outer part of said'wooden rail. 7 I

6. A composite key bottom having a wooden main-bed, a metal reinforcer with an inwardly facing recess and disposed longitudinally of and near the edge of saidkey bottom in the horizontal plane thereof, said Wooden main bed tongued and said tongue entered into said recess, the part of said bed adjacent to said tongue having its vertical dimension greater than the vertical dimension of the rail.

7. A composite key bottom having a metal reinforcer with an inwardly facin recess, a wooden main bed entered into said recess, and a grooved wooden rail disposed at the outer edge of said reinforcer, said reinforcer entered into the groove of the outer wooden rail.

8. A composite key bottom having a metal reinforcer with an inwardly facing recess, a wooden main bed entered into said recess, and a grooved wooden rail disposed at the outer ed e of said reinforcer, the reinforcer entered outer wooden rail, both the Wooden main bed and the outer wooden rail having their vertical dimensions adjacent to said reinforcer greater than the vertical dimension of said reinforcer.

9. A composite key bottom having a wooden main-bed, a metal reinforcer extending longitudinally thereof, in the horizontal plane with, and approximately at the edge thereof, a wooden rail outside of said reinforcer, and binding-means connecting said rail and reinforcer.

into the groove of the- 

